It’s without question that Palisades possesses one of the most breathtaking settings anywhere in the tri-state area. Sharing its southern border with New Jersey, this Orangetown hamlet soars above the Hudson on its namesake basalt bluffs, with inland elevations exceeding 200 feet. It’s a predominantly residential place, with little commercial activity beyond grabbing a house-baked bombolone and Kona coffee at the 9W Market or, in summertime, a fireside burger and craft brew at The Filling Station next door. Palisades’ best-known locale is Sneden’s Landing, the artful riverfront enclave author E.B. White once described as “steeped in Hudson Valley mists and memories.” You’ll find historic riverfront homes with docks, a gingerbread Carpenter’s Gothic church, and a community center in a converted 1870s schoolhouse. Palisades also boasts several recreational trails, access to Tallman Mountain State Park, and even a hidden waterfall to picnic by, tucked behind Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.